“Science writers and communicators are often asked to drive discussions by moderating or sitting on panels in a variety of professional and public venues. How they perform these roles has a big impact on how audiences contextualize important issues and these are roles of increasing importance given the current geopolitical climate. Additionally, acting in these roles can be an important source of income and professional experience. Despite this, there is little training for journalists and science communicators on how to maximize the impacts of these experiences for audiences and moderators. Consequently, panel events often fall into predictable patterns: a mic passed up and down a role of panelists, a lack of on-stage chemistry, awkward and sometimes uncomfortable inequity of air time, and a missed opportunity for everyone.

“But it doesn’t have to be this way! Dynamic, inclusive, entertaining experiences can help tell meaningful, memorable stories. Effective hosting is a performance that requires artful preparation, creativity and engagement, augmenting and managing a well-chosen format and structure. In addition to teaching basic moderation and facilitation skills, this workshop will help science communications and media professionals hone their hosting skills by tackling pre-event preparation, dynamic event formats, stage-presence, on-stage and virtual interviewing, participant management and audience engagement. Participants will by guided through improvisational techniques to create and experiment with a variety of panel and other moderated formats in a safe, innovation-friendly environment. We’ll develop a vocabulary for managing on stage conversations and use role playing scenarios to try out different styles and techniques in a low-stakes collaborative and supportive environment.”

• Where: Montreal, Quebec
• Cost: TBD

Registration opens soon.